Top 5 - Greatest Rock Bassists
Basic make-up of a rock n roll band is singer, guitarist, drummer and bassist. Obviously, each is important in their own way. Bassists just don’t get the love, man. They aren’t as flashy as the lead singer, don’t get the solos as often as the lead guitarist, and, when most people think rhythm section in a rock band, they think drummer.
Here is my list of favorite bass guitarists in rock n roll and why!
5. Geddy Lee Maybe it’s his odd time signatures, or maybe it’s the fact that he is also the lead singer, the keyboardist, etc., and has one of the most recognizable voices in rock music. Other bassists who have sited Geddy as an influence is a pretty impressive roster including, Les Claypool, Cliff Burton, and Steve Harris.
4. Bootsy Collins I can not tell you how much I truly love Bootsy. The flair, the presence the persona. Bootsy is truly one of a kind and without him, funk would not be funk. He played with James Brown and Parliment-Funkadelic. Rolling Stone Magazine listed Bootsy as their #4 bassist of all times. What a co-inky-dink!
3. Flea With Jazz influences very present, this also trumpet player brings the funk and plays the bass as a second lead instrument. Behind the bass lines Flea drops, the RHCP have not issues driving punk rock with funk. He’s also a bit of an actor and his memoir is kick ass.
2. John Entwistle Just listen to My Generation or Boris the Spider to get that thumping bass from the quietest member of The Who. Consistently high on any best of list, Entwistle used several playing styles between songs so he always sounded amazing and has been named as an influencer by Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton, Steve Harris, Geezer Butler and so many others.
1. John Paul Jones This versatile bassist was a highly sought after session player in the burgeoning English rock scene when picked by follow studio veteran Jimmy Page to join Led Zepplin. From slow grooves to aggressive beats, Jones could do it all. The lore is he never attained the fame the other Zepplins did because he didn’t go through with the devil’s deal. He didn’t need to.
